The invention is directed to a container defined by a container body and a cover or lid which can be applied to and removed from the container body. The container is particularly adapted for use with so-called carry-out and fast-food restaurants, such as might be associated with Chinese carry-out food. Typical containers associated with fast-food/carry-out restaurants include:
D466,808SLiu et al.D467,497SLiu et al.5,685,478Tang6,056,138 B1Chen6,196,404 B1Chen
The following patents and published patent applications represent the scope and content of the prior art as reflected by a search of the prior art with respect to the invention disclosed herein:
US2002/0162846 AlMercierUS2003/0168465 AlBreimon et al.US2003/0183641 AlAsbury2,275,970Tupper2,816,589Tupper3,511,288Swett et al.3,957,097Swett4,027,778Tupper4,466,552Butterworth et al.4,561,562Trombly4,765,506Fishman et al.5,356,026Andress et al.5,695,086Viola6,307,603Swett
Conventional carry-out containers made from plastic material utilize a plastic cover which is snap-secured to a plastic container at peripheral edges of flanges thereof. Such flanges generally include at least one circumferential seal which prevents product spillage/leakage. If such seals fail, the product within the container will leak outwardly therefrom onto surfaces which are then soiled/damaged, such as a person's clothing, upholstery/carpeting when in transit in an automobile, etc. Such containers are stacked upon each other for home delivery from carry-out restaurants, and even if the seal between the cover and the container remains unbroken, another problem is the tendency of the sealed container to bulge under internal pressure, such as steam emanating from hot packaged products. Normally, such containers include stacking or nesting features, and if the steam is not dissipated or vented, end panels and bottom panels of the respective covers and containers bulge, the stacking features become ineffective, and containers can abruptly unstack, fall, burst open, and thereby cause damage to such surfaces as clothing, floors, automotive interiors, etc. At times, seals which unseal may not cause product spillage/leakage/damage, yet dissipate heat rapidly which in turn results in the food becoming cool and the latter in turn necessitates at-home re-heating before eating. Obviously, re-heating a food product renders it less tasty. If leakage occurs while such containers packaged with hot food are being carried in paper or plastic bags, it is not uncommon for paper bags to weaken and burst, while plastic bags collect the leakage/spillage creating a mess at the time of unpacking and serving.